Machine for making hatboxes and the like from flat-folded blanks



Dec. 28, 1954 H. AHLMEYER EIAL 2,697,969

MACHINE FOR MAKING HATBOXES AND THE LIKE FROM FLAT-FOLDED BLANKS FiledJuly 13, 1955 4 Shegts-Sheet 1 TTURNEYS Dec. 28, 1954 AHLMEYER ETAL2,697,969

MACHINE FOR MAKING HATBOXES AND THE LIKE FROM FLAT-FOLDED BLANK-S FiledJuly 15, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Hf/NZ AHLMEYEI? By WHITNEY D. SHERMANATTORNEYS Dec. 28, 1954 AHLMEYER ETAL 2,697,969

MACHINE FOR MAKING HATBOXES AND THE LIKE FROM FLAT-FOLDED BLANKS FiledJuly 13, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 a I 26 ,27 .7'9 --Z7 26 1 6/ a I if V AI; A V A A I //1 a2 52 M14 W m 14.

9 NTTORNE Y5 Dec. 28, 1954 AHLMEYER ETAL 2,697,969

MACHINE FOR MAKING HATBOXES AND THE LIKE FROM FLAT-FOLDED BLANKS 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 13, 1953 IN VEN TQRS 53 H LME Y1 R 515 WHITNEYU. SHERM/QN ATTORN E Y5 United States Patent MACHINE FOR MAKING HATBOXESAND THE LIKE FROM FLAT-FOLDED BLANKS Heinz Ahlmeyer, Orangeburg, andWhitney D. Sherman, West Nyack, N. Y., assignors to Robert Gair Company,Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application July 13,1953, Serial No. 367,444

6 Claims. (Cl. 9355.1)

continuous paperboard band comprising either the body or the coverflange of the box. The box bodies and cover flanges can be glued in thebox makers plants and shipped in flat-folded form, together with the endpieces for the box bottoms and cover tops, to customers who may thencomplete the manufacture of the boxes and covers. The boxes and coversare of non-folding types, and in such a case the objective is to performthe maximum number of manufacturing steps at the box makers plants so asto be able to employ the simplest form of machinery and less experiencedoperators at the customers plants.

Summary In accordance with our invention, as applied for example tosetting up and finishing hat boxes of the usual oval form, the side wallof the box is in the form of a a continuous paperboard band made bylapping and gluing together the ends of a substantially rectangularblank. The lapped and glued blank is scored in two places and foldedflat along the score lines for shipment to the customers plant togetherwith the end pieces as aforesaid, these being in the form of flat ovalblanks. To set up the box the seriesof flaps at one side of the band arebent inwardly at right angles to the body of the band, and an end-pieceis glued to the flaps. Preferably a second end-piece is glued to theother side of the flaps, in which case the flaps are held between thetwo end-pieces, out of view. The machine which we have devised forfacilitating these operations comprises a forming member having anoval-shaped depression to receive the endpieces and to receive and shapethe base of the continuous paperboard band,-'a guide ring having an ovalopening in it, means for producing relative movement between thepaperboard band and the guide ring to cause the latter to surround andshape the paperboard band at its open end, a pressure plate shaped toconform closely with the inner walls of the shaped band and arranged topass through the guide ring while the latter holds the open end of thepaperboard band in position to receive the pressure plate within it, andmeans for producing relative. movement between the forming member andpres 1 sure plate to bring the latter within the oval depression of theforming member.

' The guide ring has fingers for engagement with the inside of the openend of the paperboard band and the pressure plate has slots in itsperiphery through which the fingers pass when the pressure plate entersthrough the guide ring into the open end of the paperboard band. Otherfeatures and advantages of our invention will appear as the descriptionproceeds.

Description In the drawings we have illustrated a machine to show thebest mode contemplated by us of carrying out our invention as applied tothe manufacture of bodies and cover flanges of a hat box and the like ofgenerally oval or octagonal form. h

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the turret table of the ir rachline, takenapproximately as indicated at 2-2 in Fig. 3 is a verticalcross-sectional view, to an enlarged scale, taken on the line 3-3 ofFig. 2 with the guide ring in lowered position to shape the open end ofthe paper'- board band preparatory to entry of the pressure plate.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the parts in the positionoccupied at the conclusion of the pressureapplying operation.

Fig. 5 is a top view of the guide ring and associated guide bar (see5-5, Fig. 1).

Fig. 6 is a top view of the pressure plate and associated guide bar.

Fig. 7 is a detail vertical cross-sectional view on the line 77 of Fig.5.

Fig. 8 is an exploded view of the box parts. 1

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail vertical cross-sectional view taken on theline 9-9 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail vertical cross-sectional view taken on theline 1010 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail view similar to the lower left-hand cornerof Fig. 4 but showing the formation of a box cover.

Fig. 12 is a top view of a modified forming member used for setting upan octagonal box.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the operating elements of our machine aremounted on a suitable frame 15 having a table support 16 in which arejournalled aseries of rollers 17 and a spindle 18 carrying a turrettable 19. The turret table rotates intermittently around spindle 18 asan axis and is supported in proper alignment by means of the aforesaidrollers 17 hearing against the undersurface of the table. The centerbearing for the turret table 19 is provided by a sleeve bearing 20having a flange 21 at its lower end bolted to the table. A collar 22fixed to spindle 18 completes the turret table mounting assembly.

At the rear of frame 15 (to the left as viewed in Fig. 1) is a verticalsupport 23. Mounted on vertical support 23 and spindle 18 is a beam 24to which are fixed a series of vertical sleeves 25 through which sliderods 26, 26 and 27, 27 fixed to'the guide ring and pressure plate to bedescribed.

The principal operating elements of our machine comprise a formingmember 28 having a depression, such as the oval depression 29, toreceive a fiat paperboard end piece A and to receive and shape the baseof a continuous paperboard band B, a guide ring 30, means such as theair cylinder 31 for producing relative movement between the paperboardband and the guide ring to cause the guide ring to surround and shapethe paperboard band at its open end, a pressure plate 32 shaped toconform closely with the inner walls of the shaped band and arranged topass through the guide ring 30 while the latter holds the open end ofthe paperboard band in position to receive the pressure plate within it,and means such as the air cylinder 31 for producing relative movementbetween the forming member 28 and pressure plate 32 to bring thepressure plate within depression 29 of the forming member.

In the preferred construction illustrated, there are four identicalforming members 28 arranged around the turret table 19 in such a fashionthat, as the table revolves, each one in turn is presented in the samerelative position to the guide ring and pressure plate 32 at theoperating station shown in Fig. 1. I

The construction of forming members 28 and their mounting on table 19will now be described in greater detail with reference to Figs. 3, 4,9and 10. The forming members themselves may be built up of wood in one ormore layers resting on a sheet metal base 33. A pair of pins 34 havereduced portions 35 extending through aligned openings in the formingmember and its base plate 33. These elements of the forming member areclamped together between the shoulder at the reduced portions 35 of pins34 and nuts 36. Table 19 is drilled as at 37 to receive pins 34 and holdthe forming members in correct position on the table. We prefer to usesponge rubber pads 53 between the forming members and the table 19 toinsure proper alignment between the pressure plate and base plate 33 ofthe forming member and thereby to obtain substantially uniform gluingpressure around the entire periphery of the box.

At the edge of the table 19 opposite each of the forming members 28, areindexing locks 38, each of which is engaged in turn by an indexing latch39 pivotally mounted at to the frame (Figs. 1 and 2). As the table 19 isrotated, latch 39 passes over the inclined shoulder 41 of lock 38 anddrops into. the notch 42, indexing the adjacent forming member 28directly benea'th the guide ring 30 and pressure plate 32. Suitablemeansare provided for releasing the indexing latch 39 .such as thatcomprising the rod 43 attached to latch 39 at one end and pivotallysecured at the other to one arm. of bell crank lever 44 pivoted to theframe, the other end of the bell crank lever being pivotally secured toa rod 45 extending through the beam M and pivotally secured as at 46 tothe operating finger 47 pivoted at 48 at the end of beam 24 andpositioned to be readily accessible to an operator standing at the frontof the machine. Suitable means are provided for rotating turret table 19by power or hand, such as the handles 49 conveniently located near theperiphery of the table between the forming members.

Details of the construction and mounting of the guide ring and pressureplate assembly will be described with particular reference to Figs. 3 to7 inclusive. Guide ring 30 may be constructed of one or more layers ofwood inwhich is formed an oval opening 50 or an opening which otherwisecorresponds to the shape of the particular box to be formed. Thisopening is flared outwardly as at 51 on the under side of the guidering, and in our preferred construction a pair of inclined guide fingers52 are secured to the under side of guide ring 30 for engagement withthe outside of theopen end of the paperboard band B adjacent the foldline 1 thereof to gather the open end within the confines of the guidering as the guide ring approaches its position surrounding andshaping;the paperboard band at its open end. It may be observed herethat when the lapped and glued blank is folded fiat for shipment, thepaperboard stock takes a set in its folded form so that when openedintosubstantially oval form for gluing up the box in its final setupcondition, there is a certain amount of resistance to shaping of theband. this resistance being encountered particularly at the fold lines 7due to what is commonly referred to in the trade as being the fight ofthe paperboard stock. Therefore, when the band B reaches the operatingstation shown in Fig. 1, its upper edges tend to flare outwardly at thefold line. However, the fingers 52engage the band at these points andserve to gather the open end within the confines of the guide rings ashas been described. The guide ring assembly is complcted by rods 26,bushings 54and a guide bar 55. Nuts 56 and bushings 54 serve to clampthe guide bar in spaced relation to the guide ring. Guide bar 55 isprovided with openings 57. 57 and 58 for the rods 27 and piston rod 59respectively.

Pressure plate 32 (Figs. 3, 4 and 6) is fastened to the end of pistonrod 59 of air cylinder 31 .mounted on beam 24. Clamped between theshouldered lower end of piston rod 59 and a plate 61 is a guide bar 'tothe ends of which are secured the guide .rods 27. When the operatingparts are in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the guide ring 30 bymeans of the bar 55 fixed thereto iscarried bv bushings 62 associatedwith they guide bar 69. Thus, in these positions the guide ring 30 issupported on the pressure plate assembly which in turn is carried bypiston rod 59.

The operating elements are actuated by pressure cylinder 31 andassociated .control mechanism comprising air conduits 63 and 64 leadingfrom the upper and lower ends respectively of the air cylinder 31 to afour-way valve 65 controlled by handle 66. Air cylinder 31 may be ofconventional construction employing a double acting piston connected tothe piston rod 59. Valve 65 may also be of conventional construction andis connected to a suitable source of compressed air supply (not shown).Actuation of the valve serves 'to move the piston rod 59 alternately upand down according to the known method of operation of such mechanisms.

In our preferred construction the guide ring 30 has a series of fingers67 for engagement with the inside of the open end of the paperboardband, and the pressure plate 32 has slots 68 in its periphery throughwhich the fingers 67 pass when the pressure plate passes through theguide ring and enters the openend of the paperboard band. The form offingers 67 may best be'seen in Figs. 5 and 7. They have flanges 69 forattachment to ru pe d ro he u de a th l we e d of t fingers are taperedas at 70 for cooperation with the flaring entrance portion 51of theguide ring in gathering the open end of paperboard band B within theconfines of the guide ring as the latter is lowered into the positionshown in Fig. '3.

Also in our preferred construction we provide a pair of pins 71 (Figs. 2and 10) which are resiliently supported as by means of flat springs 72within the depression 29 of the forming member 28 for engagement withalignment'notches 73 in the end pieces A and C. Springs 72 are secured,as shown, to the underside of the base 33 of the forming member and pad53 may be'cut out to provide clearance for the springs which hold thepins 71 in raised position. When the pressure plate reaches thelowermost position shown in Fig. 4, pins 71 may be pushed down slightlyagainst the resistance of springs 72 so as not to interfere with theaction of the pressure plate.

Operation In Fig. 2 the legends indicate the our operating stations ofthe machine. The numberof operators who will be used for each machinewill depend upon the requirements; of the particular plant and thejudgment of the management. We think it is desirable to have threeoperators, in which case an operator will be stationed at each ofoperating stations 1, 2 and 3. There'will be no operator at station 4.At station 1, the oval endpiece A is placed in the bottom of depression29 of the forming member. This end piece will first have been preparedby applying glue around the upper. outside edge thereof. This also isthe station at which the finished box or cover is removed at the end ofa complete cycle of operation. Thus the steps performed by the operatorat, station 1 are (a) removal of the finished article, and (b) insertionof the glued end piece A (glue side up). Performing operation (b)' theoperator sees that notches -73 of end piece A properly engage pins 71:These pins perform two functions. First, they insure that the major andminor axes of the oval and piece coincide with the major and minor axesof the oval depression 29. Second, they insure that the end piece C willbe properly centered within the depression, as it is usually desiredthat there shall be a slight clearance between the end piece and thedepression'in the forming member, and without the engagement of thenotches 73 withpins 71', the end piece might be glued to one side or theother of the side walls of She box and not be symmetrically arranged asdesire At station 2, the operator inserts the paperboard band B into theforming member at the front of the machine. The series of flaps F willhave been folded previously so as to extend substantially at rightangles to the'walls of band B. This folding or pre-breaking'of the flapsaround the score line s adjacent their base line may be performed byhand or with the use of the folding machine described in our copendingapplication for patent Serial No. 367,418 filed July 13, 1953. Theoperator at station 2 also manipulates the controls 47 and 66 foractuation of the mechanism at station 4, the operation of which will bedescribed when we come to the discussion of the steps performed atstation 4.

The operator atstation'3 inserts the inner end piece C, to which gluewill have been applied over the peripheral area which will come incontact with flaps F. If desired glue may also be applied at one or morepoints toward the center of this end piece where it may be pressed intocontact with outer end piece A.

We come now to the operations performed at station 4 by the mechanismcontrolled by the operator at station 2. Latch 39 will be resting innotch 42 of indexing lock 38, and we begin with the parts in theposition shown in Fig. 1. Inner and outer'end pieces A and C andpaperboard band B are in place in the forming member 28. The operatornow actuates control 66 so that air is exhausted from the'lower end ofair cylinder 31 while air under pressure enters the upper end of thiscylinder through the line 63. This drives piston rod 59 downwardly,carrying with it pressure plate 32 and allowing guide ring 30 todescend. Guide fingers-52 gather the open end of paperboard band Bwithin the confines of the guidering as the guide ring approaches theposition shown in Fig. 3. During'the last'part of this action'theguiding effect of fingers 52 is supplemented by the fiaring'opening 51of the guide ring itself and the inclined edges 70 of the fingers 67.'Whn-the finger's '67 cometo rest on the upper edgeof the band B,downward movement of guide ring 30 ceases. In this initial position ofrest of the guide ring 30, pressure plate 32 is about to enter withinbandB, the band having been accurately-shaped to permit such entry withclose tolerances around the periphery of the pressure plate as isessential in order to apply pressure effectively over the area of flapsF.

Further downward movement of piston rod 59 carries pressure plate 32Within the box, fingers 67 passing through the slots 68 of the pressureplate. The pressure plate then travels to the bottom of the box andapplies pressure on the glued end pieces A and C for a matter of fiveseconds or so. Meanwhile the operators at stations 1, 2 and 3 arerepeating the cycle. Next the operator at station 2 reverses the control66, bringing the parts into the position shown in Fig. 1. He thendepresses the operating finger 47, releasing latch 39 from indexing lock38, and grasping one of the handles 49, rotates the table 90 in thedirection of the arrow D (Fig. 2) bringing the next indexing lock 38into engagement with latch 39. Thereupon the operator at station 1removes the box which has just been completed at station 4.

The machine may be adapted to handle other shapes and sizes of boxes,and covers, by changing the forming members, guide ring and pressureplate for others of the proper size and shape. For example, in Fig. 12is shown a forming member 28' in which is formed an octagonal opening29, and which has a pair of positioning pins 34' arranged to fit theopenings 37 of turret table 19. This shape of forming member may be usedwhere the machine is to be applied for setting up and finishing boxes orcovers of octagonal shape. It is merely necessary to lift out theforming members 28 and replace them with forming members 28'. Guide ring30 and pressure plate 32 likewise would be removed and replaced withother members shaped for the octagonal box.

Stops 74 are adjustably mounted on the rods 26.

, These stops are positioned to come to rest on the upper ends of thesleeves just as the parts reach the position shown in Fig. 3 and preventthe fingers 67 of the guide ring from damaging the upper edge of thepaperboard band, which might otherwise occur upon impact.

In Fig. 11 we have indicated the formation of a cover for the box shownin the other views. Because the cover band is relatively shallow it isgenerally unnecessary to provide a guide ring. Also, in forming thecovers, beam 24 or the air cylinder 31 may be lowered to shorten thestroke of the pressure plate 32.

The terms and expressions which we have employed are used in adescriptive and not a limiting sense, and we have no intention ofexcluding such equivalents of the invention described, or of portionsthereof, as fall within the purview of the claims.

We claim:

1. A machine for setting up and finishing paperboard hat boxes and thelike from fiat-folded blanks which comprises a forming member having adepression to receive a flat end piece and to receive and shape the baseof a continuous paperboard band, a guide ring, means for producingrelative movement between the paperboard band and the guide ring tocause the guide ring to surround and shape the paperboard band at itsopen end, a pressure plate shaped to conform closely with the innerwalls of the shaped band and arranged to pass through said guide ringwhile the guide ring holds the open end of the paperboard band inposition to receive the pressure plate within it, and means forproducing relative movement between the forming member and pressureplate to bring the pressure plate within said depression of the formingmember, said guide ring having fingers for engagement with the inside ofthe open end of the paperboard band and said pressure plate having slotsin its periphery through which slots said fingers pass when the pressureplate passes through the guide ring and enters the open end of thepaperboard band.

2. A machine for setting up and finishing paperboard hat boxes and thelike from flat-folded blanks which comprises a forming member having adepression to receive a fiat end piece and to receive and shape the baseof a continuous paperboard band, pins resiliently supported within saiddepression of the forming member for en gagement with alignment notchesin said end piece, a guide ring, means for producing relative movementbetween the paperboard band and the guide ring to cause 6 the: guidering'to surround and shape the paperboardband atitsopen end,a pressureplate 'shapedito conform'closely 3. A machine for setting up andfinishing paperboard 'hat boxes and the like from flat-folded blankswhich comprises a forming member having a depression to receive a flatend piece and to receive and shape the base of a continuous paperboardband, a guide ring, means for producing relative movement between thepaperboard band and the gulde ring to cause the guide ring to sur-:round and shape the paperboard band at its open end, a pressure plateshaped to conform closely with the inner walls of the shaped band andarranged to pass through :said guide ring while the guide ring holds theopen end of the paperboard band in position to receive the pressureplate within it, and means for producing relative movement between theforming member and pressure plate to bring the pressure plate withinsaid depression of the :forming member, said guide ring and pressureplate being :mounted for movement together until the guide ringsurrounds and shapes the paperboard band at its open end, said pressureplate then being movable a further distance with the guide ringstationary.

4. A machine for setting up and finishing paperboard ihat boxes and thelike from fiat-folded blanks which comprises a forming member having adepression to receive a flat end piece and to receive and shape the baseof a continuous paperboard band, a guide ring, means for producingrelative movement between the paperboard band and the guide ring tocause the guide ring to surround and shape the paperboard band at itsopen end, a pressure plate shaped to conform closely with the innerwalls -of the shaped band and arranged to pass through said guide ringwhile the guide ring holds the open end of the paperboard band inposition to receive the pressure plate within it, and means forproducing relative movement between the forming member and pressureplate to bring the pressure plate within said depression of the formingmember, said guide ring being freely suspended from the pressure platefor movement into position surrounding and shaping the paperboard bandfor the pressure plate to enter the open end thereof and pass into saiddepression of the forming member.

5. A machine for setting up and finishing paperboard hat boxes and thelike from flat-folded blanks which comprises a forming member having adepression to receive a flat end piece and to receive and shape the baseof a continuous paperboard band, a guide ring, means for producingrelative movement between the paperboard band and the guide ring tocause the guide ring to surround and shape the paperboard band at itsopen end, a pressure plate shaped to conform closely with the innerwalls of the shaped band and arranged to pass through said guide ringwhile the guide ring holds the open end of the paperboard band inposition to receive the pressure plate within it, and means forproducing relative movement between the forming member and pressureplate to bring the pressure plate within said depression of the formingmember, said guide ring having fingers for engagement with the outsideof the open end of the paperboard band adjacent the fold lines thereofto gather the open end within the eonfines of the guide ring as theguide ring approaches its position surrounding and shaping thepaperboard band at its open end.

6. A machine for setting up and finishing paperboard hat boxes and thelike from fiat-folded blanks which comprises a forming member having adepression to receive a flat end piece and to receive and shape the baseof a continuous paperboard band, a guide ring, means for producingrelative movement between the paperboard band and the guide ring tocause the guide ring to surround and shape the paperboard band at itsopen end, a pressure plate shaped to conform closely with the innerwalls of the shaped band and arranged to pass through said guide ringwhile the guide ring holds the open end of the paperboard band inposition to receive the pressure plate within it, and means forproducing relative movement between theforming member and pressure 7plate tbbrhg the pressure plate within said deprs's'ionof the formingmember, "said guide 'ring having fingers for engagement with theinsideof'the open end of'the paper'- boardband and fingers for engagement withthe outside of thehpen' end of the paperboard band.

References Citedin the file/0f this patent" Number UNITED- STATESPATENTS Name Carncro'ss Dec.

ate 4, 1906

